


louder than the crack in the bell.

by HeWhoShallNotBeCaughtReadingFanFics



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Birth Naming, M/M, Misgendering, Nonbinary Character, Singing in the Shower, Trans Male Character, Transphobia, physical assault
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-23
Updated: 2016-02-08
Packaged: 2018-05-08 15:49:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5503619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeWhoShallNotBeCaughtReadingFanFics/pseuds/HeWhoShallNotBeCaughtReadingFanFics
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On the other side, he leads a soldier's choir, but for now, John Laurens settles for the duets while he showers in the wee hours of the night with someone he can only tell by their shower shoes...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. what i've been looking for

**Author's Note:**

> One out of five chapters down. These will be longer as they go. This serves as your exposition. I will be updating regularly on account of winter break. The song featured and title of this chapter is "What I've Been Looking For" from the movie High School Musical because I wanted this to feel as much as a romantic comedy as it can be. Come get it!

The new semester brought many new things for John. Most of which started with his new internship at the campus’ urgent care center, which occupied a good majority of his time outside of classes. When the weekend came up and he was granted a small bit of time, he found his friends, Lafayette and Mulligan at the indoor basketball courts at the gym to play a few games and, if they were invited, afterward attend a party and have a good time. Although he loved his friends, his internship, and his classes very much, the best part of his days were when he was in the confines of only himself. There was no one to impress or to charm or to take orders from. John felt like he could just be himself completely and wholeheartedly, which was one of the main reasons why he convinced his father to be pay extra for a single room dorm. 

His favorite part of his alone time was, what he thought was stupidly enough, taking a shower. Communal showers were at the second bottom tier right above a hose on the shower hierarchy, but after a long day of walking from class to class and playing basketball with his friends, he felt the must and grime seep into his pores and sit there. It made his skin crawl and it was the best thing in the world to John to have access to hot, running water. There was a great feeling of relief when he scrubbed his body. When he walked out of the shower and dried himself off, he felt lighter in size and he felt like he could stretch for a thousand miles. That was until his skin had dried and became ashy, which he would take care of once he made it back to his dorm. First off, however, was drying his hair, which he was thankful for his Puerto Rican-Dominican genes for gifting him with longer, beautiful natural curls. 

Although he loved showering, the absolute, hands-down, most embarrassing, definitely best part was John’s tendency to sing in the shower. He wouldn’t admit it if anyone would ask him nor had anyone but the people who inhabited his floor heard him, but John sang with a beautiful baritone vibrato that could only be heard for twenty minutes in the wee hours of the night where he felt was safest to let his voice loose. He had often reminisced about the times in which his mother would sing to him when he had awoken from a nightmare when he was a small child. Although she stopped coming to his bedside when she believed it was time for him to grow up, John still hummed to himself at night when he was weary. The night he arrived for his first year at college, he sang himself to sleep. 

This Sunday night was no different. 

John awoke that afternoon hungover. Him, Lafayette, and Mulligan crashed one of the sorority parties on campus the night before, which left him with a major migraine and throwing out the trash can full of his own vomit. With his back stiff, as soon as he fully sat up, he could tell that he overdid it last night. Always up for a challenge, the three of them wanted to bring in the spring semester of their junior year completely not sober, leading John to keep with his friends who much larger in proportion to himself. John didn’t care, though, at least he didn’t really remember if he did or not. He got drunk faster and he was glad that his friends were so great as to make sure that he got home safely, as shown through the multiple texts he received when he checked his phone. After making sure that his friends knew he was alive, they all met for breakfast, or technically lunch as Mulligan so eloquently put it. 

In order to compensate for the rest of the day, John went back to his room and cleaned up his mess that he created and went to work on his studies. It was only the second week of the semester, but if his first two years taught him anything, it was that he could breathe so much easier when assignments were done early. By the time he finished what he felt was a considerable amount of his work, it was early morning and he was not excited for the day that would pursue him the next morning. However, Monday was coming whether he liked it or not and immediately, he made arrangements to get in the shower before bed. 

As always at this time, the bathroom was completely deserted and John was very thankful for it. It gave his whole alone time thing a new expansion pack. As soon as John turned on the hot water, he immediately started humming scales to himself, fulfilling his normal shower pattern. After settling on a tune, he started to sing quietly to himself, still very aware that he could still be heard.

“It’s hard to believe that I couldn’t see that you were always right beside me...”

As he started to wash himself, his own singing became so absent minded that he didn’t notice the other shower next to him running at all until he heard another voice harmonizing with his own. 

“This feeling’s like no other. I want you to know that I’ve never someone as good for me as you, no one like you. So lonely before I finally found what I’ve been looking for...”

The blush that erupted onto John’s chest was extremely telling as to how embarrassed he was. His body was expelling so much warmth that even the water became lukewarm to him. This was the last thing that John had expected to happen. He was just joking around. Singing was his coping mechanism and someone had just intruded themselves into it. He didn’t know how to react. They had sounded good together, just like in the movie, but they weren’t supposed to sound like anything. They were never supposed to happen. So John had the two options that he always has, either stay and fight or leave. For the first time in a while, he left.

John turned off the water and tried to dry himself off as fast as he could. Unfortunately, for his sake, he wasn’t fast enough and the other person in the next stall over got out of their shower as well. 

“Nice voice, Ryan Evans,” they teased. 

Goosebumps.

“I was just--”

“It’s cool. You’ve got good taste, Mr. High School Musical.”

Heat swelled up his body. No one was supposed to know him like that. He couldn’t just take that from somebody. What if they recognized John’s voice? What if they knew it was John and word got around? He had to find out who this mystery person was. He searched down to see if he could identify the singer by what little he could see, but all he found were just these dark, pastel blue shower sandals, the generic kind with the plastic sandal part and the foam bottoms. Attached to them were feet, which disgusted John, but showed a non-white skin tone, almost similar to his own. Fortunately, he was met with unfamiliarity. No one he knew. Therefore, he could afford to taunt back.

He wrapped his towel around his waist and pushed open the curtains and made his way towards the exit, leaving a small goodbye to his accompaniment. 

“Until next time, Sharpay.”


	2. i'm yours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the part of the story where Alex may not live to see the glory, but he gladly joins the fight and meets some interesting people in interesting places, especially in the shower, on the side of the road, and in urgent care center lobbies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While reading this, I discovered three fundamental truths at the exact same time. This went from zero to one hundred very fast. This was tedious af to write. This made me very excited for the rest of the chapters. Shout out to my film professor who taught me what parallel editing is so I can incorporate it into my writing. The song used in this chapter is "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz. If you're celebrating Christmas this year, I'd like to wish you a good one. Those who don't, please have a great day and a happy new year. Come get it!

Alex tried to be quick drying himself off. He hated strip himself down to show the form that did not fit himself. He had his good days and his bad days with his body, but tonight’s viewing of his body was nothing more than tedious part of his day. However his first semester after transferring from the off campus branch finally allowed him to have some sort of fun, even in the weirdest of places, like the shower. 

To get him on campus was excruciating. How he had survived working over sixty hours a week and remained a full-time student with an outstanding transcript, no one would fully understand. However now that he was here, Alex was determined to make his mark within the university. Now that he was only working a standard twenty-five hours at the most, he had more time to dedicate to quality of the work he was handing in. With his required credits finished, it now became the time in which he could actually start focusing on his major of political science. This, however, meant that this was the semester that would mean the most when applying to his graduate program. He could not afford to hand in anything that was worth less than an A. 

This led him to nights like these. Sleep was just not an option. He had just finished his second draft of his paper due the following Friday, hoping to get at least another third draft before submitting it, but it was late and he felt that he had done enough at least for just that night. When Alex straightened his back from leaning over his desk, he realized just how stiff he was. He turned his back, attempting to crack his spine, while also checking to see that his new roommate, Aaron, was still fast asleep. After confirming that he was indeed deep in his REM cycle, Alex got up from his desk and began to prepare for his shower. 

Although Alex did lack some of the common courtesy on how men were supposed to speak with one another by society’s standards, he knew for a fact that harmonizing with another guy while he was in the shower was definitely not how to handle the situation at all. He hoped his high pitched voice would eliminate anyone knowing that it was anyone on this floor that was singing. He shouldn’t have sung anyway, but when you’re hunched over a laptop for six hours, Alex allowed himself that playfulness to come out. 

“Until next time, Sharpay.”

He never been big on singing except for drunken nights with his friend, Angelica Schuyler, where they would sing karaoke and Alex would grab the microphone after taking a shot of tequila. There was nothing shy about his voice. It was loud and it carried throughout the room. He couldn’t wait until pitch of it would change over time as the prescribed testosterone would nest itself in his body. However for now, he still found comfort in training his voice whenever the moment seemed the most convenient. That night, for the first time in a while due to his work, he sang tall and bright, determined to impress his only audience member. 

By the time Alex drifted off to sleep, he felt so satisfied with himself for once, he couldn’t even remember that someone spoke to him. 

The next time Alex and Mr. High School Musical sing together, it was late on a Tuesday night two weeks later. School had been very challenging like always, but it felt much more real being on campus. There was so many people around him at all times and Alex wasn’t sure what to do with himself at that point. He felt uneasy of who was around him at all times. When he found an organization that suited him, he hoped that he was going to make his friends there. However, he could not have been more wrong. 

The Student Government was a very prestigious group, filled with the most elite students on campus. Alex took that as a challenge and reveled in the opportunity to be disputed against, even seeing his own roommate there. They weren’t very close, but when no one else struck his eye with familiarity, he sat right next to him. 

“Fancy seeing you here,” Aaron inquired. 

Alex felt himself smirk and replied, “I could say the same to you.”

“So you’re into the politics thing?”

“Oh, you could say something like that.”

Their small talk was cut short when the advisor of the program started to make their speech and instruct new students as to what each member can bring to the program as well as the fundraisers that take place during the semester. Alex listened intently, scribbling notes down in the notebook he bought specifically for the occasion. The meeting went without incident until the advisor assigns everyone an “accountabil-a-buddy”. 

“Now we have divided up the email list from the involvement fair that we had this past week and assigned new members with some of our more notable veterans,” Dr. Washington clicked to the next slide on his presentation. “Here is a list of who we assigned with who. Please meet with them immediately and get to know them. Exchange information. We’ll meet back here in about five minutes.”

Swiftly, Aaron rose up to find his new mentee, leaving Alex to scan the slide a bit more in-depth to find his own name. Unfortunately when he found his name upon the screen, he was met with letters that stamped his name since birth. That was not his name at all. His throat began to close up and his heartbeat ran faster. 

“Alejandra? Alejandra Hamilton?” Every time the tall black man announced those words, it felt like a punch to his stomach. 

He rose up from this chair and approached the man head on, furious. 

“It’s Alexander or Alex Hamilton or you call me nothing at all.”

“Excuse me then. The name is Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson,” the nappy haired man reached out his hand.

Alex accepted it, shaking it aggressively. 

“What year are you, Alex? You don’t strike me as a freshmen, but something about you reads loud.”

“A proud poli-sci junior. And yourself?”

“A pre-law senior. Your family must be very impressed. What’s your phone number? I’m supposed to take down some sort of information.”

The two swapped phones and put their respective phone numbers in the contacts. Jefferson took a picture for his contact identification.

“You should save that for a collectors item in future years.”

“Yeah, it’ll help when I have to identify your body after I’m done with this place. My family is impressed with my work ethic, not my ability to get here, Thomas. Are we done?”

“Dr. Washington will call us back when he needs us. Until then, can I let you in on a little secret?” Alex cocked his head to side to show his interest. “You need to wait your turn. Most of us are graduating after this semester is up. You’ve got a lot going for you. I mean you’re queer and you’re a minority. You’ve got the total revolutionary thing going for you. You’ll do just fine once we’re done. Until then, just sit back. Don’t get your hopes up on a high position.”

“If you think I’m going to throw away my shot just because--”

“Alright, let’s bring it back in please!”

They exchanged stern glares with one another and made it back to their seats. The rest of the meeting went by smoothly as it could without making eye contact with Jefferson who presented the rest of the slides along with his partner, James Madison. After the rest of the hour was up, Dr. Washington dismissed the group, leaving them to their own devices until they saw him for the next meeting the following Tuesday.

“Aaron, are you heading back to home?”

“Yeah, I guess we could head back together.” 

The January air hit Alex’s cheeks and cooled his anger for a moment. He had always hated the winter. The sloshy sleet of the streets seeped through his sneakers and the lack of sunlight was really doing on the natural lighting within the dorm. However, this was nice. His first meeting was a disaster and he didn’t know whether or not he should be thankful for that. It gave him a sense of purpose. 

As they finally settled back in their dorm, Alex realized he hadn’t utilized the one primary resource right in front of him.

“Can I ask you a question real quick? What’s Jefferson’s deal?”

Aaron looked up at him from his desk, “What do you mean?”

“Like why is he so entitled? What gives? Was he like dropped as a baby?”

“No, and even if he was, his fro would have broke his fall. Listen, Alex, I know he can be a bit insufferable, but, just chill. He’s out of here soon. Just wait for it.”

Maybe Aaron was right. Maybe things would get better with time. 

And that it did. That night, Alex worked till the early morning and like before crept into the bathroom for his shower. 

“Well, you done done me and you bet I felt it. I tried to be chill, but you’re so hot that I melted...” 

Alex sang with confidence and determination, the only way one can at 3:30 in the morning. He felt even more empowering when he heard the same baritone voice. 

“So I won't hesitate. No more, no more. It cannot wait. I'm sure. There's no need to complicate. Our time is short. This is our fate. I'm yours.”

The last words floated in the air while Alex finished washing his body. Rinsing immediately, he dismissed the idea of being owned by the other person. He knew nothing more than the black adidas with blue stripes that the other showered in. However, the person could sing. Alex had felt safe enough to let the other join him in his antics and maybe that counted for something. 

“Well, we meet again,” Alex taunted from his side of the shower as he dried off. 

His words were met with a small chuckle. 

“It appears so. Mraz? You don’t have too bad of a music taste either.”

“Oh yeah? You just wait. One of these nights, I’m gonna come in here and start busting out some sick Nicki Minaj verse.”

Another laugh, “Then I can’t wait.”

It was Alex who exited the bathroom first and not for the first time in a while, he went to bed hopeful for the future with the sound of his singing partner drifting him to sleep.

However, nothing ever stayed consistent. Naturally, Alex’s work piled up and everything became mechanical again. He deprived himself of sleep and ate the bare minimum, but was met with high scores on everything he received back. Rather than make Aaron suffer, he discovered the library to be his sanctuary. With their late hours, it was the perfect place for Alex to study. 

About two weeks later, he left fairly late. He even managed to stay in the lobby after the main part of the library had closed so he could finish presentation for Professor Adams. As he walked outside, the weather was bitter and it stung Alex’s face as he walked back to his dorm. Instead of suffering for the next twenty minutes, he took a turn down a darkened part of campus, remembering how him and Angelica used to cut through there during the summer. He didn’t remember it looking so dark, but it was cold and he just wanted to go home.

He turned down the corner quickly but was interrupted by a hooded man with sunglasses leaping out from his spot, leaning against the brick building. 

“Where you going, all fast and shit?”

Alex’s first instinct was to keep walking, which he did. He went directly around the guy and it would have worked, too, if not for the man grabbing his arm and twisting it around. Alex whined in pain. 

“I said, where the fuck do you think you’re going?”

“Home,” he squeaked out.

“Change of plans, you’re coming with me.”

Twisting out of his grip, Alex managed to fight back the best that he could. Unfortunately, with his small and scrawny frame, his punches and shoves did nothing to stop the man from dragging him with his arm wrapped around his neck, along the dim trail. It wasn’t until Alex slid far enough down to bite his arm that he received his first blow to the face. When he screamed out in pain, he received another one.

“Shut the fuck up!”

Alex dropped to his knees, holding his face. 

“Get the fuck up! Let’s go!” 

He stayed on the ground, his jeans filling with wetness from the slush of snow. The first kick to the side knocked him over completely. Perhaps that was better. That way Alex could shield himself as he was stomped on repeatedly. As much he wanted to stay there in his cocoon, he rose to his feet and tried to throw more punches. Although he had never been in a fight before, the adrenaline had kicked into his veins and he defended himself as much as he could. When he finally got one uppercut to the jaw, he quickly regretted it. 

“You wanna fucking go? Come at me, bitch!”

The man pulled a blade from inside of his coat pocket and lunged towards Alex, slicing his chest. He attempted to lunge forward again, but Alex, knowing what was to come next, backed up in enough time that he missed his torso completely, but plunged directly into his leg. As Alex fell to his knees, he screamed out in pain. The hooded man left another mark on his cheekbone and another on his shoulder and he was absolutely sure he was going to die. The cold sting his wounds and the taste of iron pervade his mouth. He closed his eyes and waited for the sweet embrace of the other side to claim him.

When he heard a small, “oh shit”, and footsteps running away, he hadn’t known what was going on until he saw the lights. Then, he really thought he was dying. This time, all Alex can hear is a car door slam and footsteps coming closer.

“Woah, man. Holy shit. Fucking intense.”

The second person actually touched him, “Shit, man. Are you alive?”

Alex nodded, weakly. 

“What the fuck do we do? We can’t just leave her out here, George,” said the first person.

“Well, what do you want me to do, Sam? We’re both baked as fuck. We can’t take her to a hospital.”

“Let’s just drop her off at the urgent care. We can just slide her out of the car and just run.”

“What?! That’s a terrible idea!”

“What the fuck more do you want from me, Sam?! You got any bright ideas? No? Didn’t think so. Help me drag her body in the back seat.”

The two of them lifted Alex quite easily. Setting him down was the hard part. Typically, he’d annoyed at being misgendered, but at this point, he trusted them for him to make it out alive. The heat of the car made the car ride a lot more pleasant. It gave the feeling of dying a lot more comforting. 

“She’s bleeding out, George. There’s so much fucking blood, man.”

“Sam, just shut the fuck up and let me fucking drive!” 

“Yo, man. We can’t keep doing this, man. This is fucking crazy, man. 

“Can you shut the fuck up for two fucking seconds so I can fucking focus? I know, alright! I’m just trying to fucking focus. We’ll clean the car after. Let me just fucking drive.”

What was probably five minutes felt more or less like five hours. Every time it felt like he was drifting off, a firm hand would shake him and say, “stay with me, please stay with me”, which was presumably the boy named Sam. 

When the car slowed down, George began to speak, “Alright, listen, we gotta do this really fast. As soon as I pull over you’re going get out and push her through your side so I can slide her out as easy as possible on mine, and then I’m gonna carry her to the second sliding door. When I get back, you need to be on the other side ready to drive off as soon I get in the other side. As soon as I’m in the car, we just fucking dart, alright? You okay to drive?” Sam shook his head. “Well, get fucking ready to anyway because we have no other choice.”

The car came to a screeching halt and George and Sam kept exactly to their plan. The closer Alex was held in his arms, the worse the pain felt. His dismount didn’t feel too good either, as he collided with the floor. He heard the sliding door open and George ran off in the distance, only to be followed up by a man running after him from the opposite way. 

“Sir?! Come back here! Sir?!” he pulled out his communication device, “Can I get some assistance please to the front desk? A stretcher with a nurse. We had a drop off. Thank you.”

The voice sounded familiar to Alex, but he couldn’t quite place where he heard it from. His body was shifted into the person’s lap. 

“Can you hear me?” Alex nodded his head. “Good. Can you see me?” Alex tried to open his eyes throughout all of the dried tears that had stained his face. He squinted his eyes and was able to see the man’s tan Puerto Rican-Dominican skin, peppered with freckles. Everything seemed so bright around him, everything fluorescent and fake. Alex nodded. “Good. Can you tell me your name?”

“Al-Alexander,” he whispered, voice rusty and raw. 

“Alexander?” the man repeated. Alex nodded.

“Yours?” 

“My name?” he asked to which Alex nodded again, “My name is John.”


	3. alec eiffel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And in these helpless times, John does all he can for his first patient. However he's not quite sure how they were both cured.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's 3:38AM and I don't know exactly what my chapter summary even means. However, I'm super stoked about this chapter. Nothing big really happens, but it really bridges the last chapter and the next chapter together. Hope y'all like BrOTP Eliza and Laurens because that's pretty much that entire chapter. The song featured in this chapter is "Alec Eiffel" by The Pixies. Come get it!

“ _ oh alexander i see you beneath the archway of aerodynamics...  _ That was ‘Alec Eiffel’ by The Pixies and you’re listening to Mundane Mike on radio 98.2, your station for adult alternative. Tonight, we got--”

“John,” one of the only nurses in his designated of the urgent care called, “turn that shit off. You know they just play the same five songs over and over again.” 

“Why can’t we just change the station again,” he asked as he turned the radio off. 

“It’s against some dumbass rule the school made. It’s like the only station that doesn’t have swears in it or some shit. I don’t know, but we’re not allowed to change it.”

“Girl, please. I am absolutely positive any song that uses the word phallic would constitute as inappropriate.”

“I thought you liked that phallic shit,” she teased. 

“The vulgarity coming out of a Schuyler,” John replied with fake shock, “Eliza, I’m surprised at you!”

“Oh, please. This is coming from someone who offered to work the night shift who I’ve been working with for over a month now. I think we’re at that level. Let me just say as someone who should technically be instructing and evaluating you, I’ve expected more from you.”

“Hey, I chose a very strategic time to commit to this place. At night, the two biggest extremes are happening. It’s either dead quiet like right now with the small staff who have virtually given up and just want to do their jobs adequately so that they can go home, no offense. Or it’s either everything at once. It’s nonstop everything. There’s action and there’s split decisions. You have to be correct on everything you do because someone’s life could be at stake and they’re depending on us. It’s the epitome of fight or flight mode and I love it.”

“Okay, lightskin. You wanna be in your feelings? Then spit something at me real quick, Drizzy.”

Eliza created a beat out of the front desk she was leaning over and made direct eye contact with her coworker. 

“How many times do I have to tell you not all lightskin guys like Drake? You don’t even have to be lightskin to like Drake! All you have to do is have a pair of ears,” John replied, staring at his coworker still making a beat, “C’mon, Eliza. Quit it. Don’t you have rounds to do soon? C’mon leave me alone. I have paperwork.”

“Oh so now you have paperwork? Then, what was all that “Eliza I’m bored” mess earlier? Don’t you worry about me. I’ve got myself. I know you got something in you. I’ll leave you alone once I hear a few bars.  Now let’s go.”

“Eliza--” he was cut off by her added beatboxing, “Alright, alright! My name is Laurens and I’m a poet. I fuck up these bars just to show it. ‘Liza on beat, you already know it. It’s the graveyard shift, bitch. We take bodies and we sow it. Zombies up in here. Thriller take shape ‘cause at urgent care, we finna resuscitate. Michael Jackson trait. Can I get a five, six, seven, eight?!”  

“Yo! Laurens, my guy! I knew it! I knew you could rap. We’re doing this every shift when it’s dead from now on. I hope you know this.”

“You should be the one to fucking talk! You beatbox?!” 

“We should just run away and start a band and tour the world. It’s perfect!”

“Yup! Just give up college entirely and live debt-ridden in the back of a van. It’s the best idea we’ve ever thought of.”

Eliza went to the wall and squeezed some hand sanitizer into her hands. After her hands were dry enough, she picked up her clipboard and made up her way towards the hallway, leaving him with a “now get back to work, Laurens! I’ve got rounds to do.” 

“You’ve got it, boss!” John looked over at the stack of paperwork to be filed away, “you’ve got it...” 

And he does. It was a quiet night at the urgent care. They had just enforced this shift. The president of the university thought it would be convenient with the times that people are actually being hurt to run the urgent care center. The internship seemed to be doing well enough. He was able to charm most of his overseers, which meant when they were short staffed at night, they would let him sit at the front desk and sign people in. It probably violated some privacy law, but it was for John, who was so bright and so determined and clever. Nights like these didn’t happen too often, but he didn’t mind. It made it all the more special when he was working up close and personal.

John grew a lot in his first month back. His comfort zone began to grow beyond just the fourth floor bathroom and he felt little parts of himself oozing out. He would have never given Eliza the satisfaction of rapping to her. They were professionals and were expected to act like it. He knew rapping was definitely not singing, so he could get away with that, but there was something more to being able to let go a little. It made him feel like he could take on anything. 

After his second shower sing-along, he became very intent on finding out who it was that he was singing with. Often keeping his door open and inspecting anyone who would pass by, hoping for a miracle and when met with indifference, he dropped the case. 

“Mon ami,” Lafayette would inquire one day, studying in John’s room, “you do realize how much of a long shot this is, oui?”

“I know, Laf,” John replied, sitting at his desk, peering over it to look out into the hallway, “but I just want to settle this.”

“What will it solve though? If you find this mystery person?”

“I don’t know. I just don’t feel satisfied enough.”

“Well, just don’t dwell on it. I’d hate for you to get over something as small as this,” Lafayette warned.

After that, it was dropped, never to be spoken about again. However, John still kept his door open and took his showers when he usually did, but it was much like waiting for a miracle. That was when his night turned from dead to alive fifteen minutes before the urgent care center was supposed to close. 

John was filing paperwork at the front desk when he heard a car door slam outside and running. Annoyance and exhilaration turned him around to see in man running, someone in his arms. He lept out of his chair, something he was strictly told not to do in order of a liability, and ran forward to the action. 

The sliding doors opened for him and if he ran after the guy, he could probably catch him, but that wasn’t his concern. His major concern was for the beaten boy dumped on the ground. They were so frail and purple and he hadn’t know what to do. John reached down into his walkie and called down for Eliza. He knew this happened before, but he never saw it first hand. There were so many questions to be answered when someone just dropped an almost lifeless body on the ground and drives away. It left him shook up, but he knew he had a responsibility has a care provider. This was not about him. 

He sat down with the boy and held him in his lap. John didn’t know how to properly care for the boy so started with the basics. The first question that popped into his head was whether or not he was conscious. If not, at least he was CPR certified. 

“Can you hear me?” The bruised face hidden behind strands of stringy black hair gently nodded his head. “Good. Can you see me?” At least he didn’t have to remember how to do actually use his CPR training. Long eyelashes fluttered the most they could. Inside were deep black orbs with red eyes, but they were open and the boy nodded again, such a darkness to his gaze.. “Good. Can you tell me your name?”

“Al-Alexander,” the boy managed to squeeze out.

“Alexander?” John repeated for both clarification and to keep his new patient conscious, just in case he decided to dip out. The finally named Alexander nodded again.

“Yours?”

“My name?” he asked to which the frail boy nodded again, “My name is John.”

The privacy was then broken by the staff coming in. Eliza, in full battle warrior, demanded, “Laurens, help me lift them up onto the stretch. You know you’re not supposed to touch the patient without gloves on or proper sanitation. Get back to your station immediately afterward and we evaluate on this should be handled. Do I make myself clear?”

As he helped the patient onto the stretcher, John wanted to correct her. He wanted to tell her that this wasn’t just another patient; this was Alexander. He had a name. However, he also saw the seriousness in her eyes. This was the best environment he had ever had the dream of obtaining his junior year and here it was, probably about to be taken away. 

John stayed at his station, waiting for his walkie to whisper his dismissal from whomever. He cleaned up everything that was on his closing-list and now he stood there, waiting for a command. He turned on the radio again.

“ _ little eiffel stands in the archway, oh alexander i see you... _ ”

“This song, again?”

He turned the radio back off and sighed with his head down, not thinking of anything but what was to come next.

“I told you it’s the same five songs over and over again.”

John looked up to see Eliza standing there in her scrubs.

“Now, we need to talk about that, John. In incidents like those, you need to stand back and let the professionals handle it. We can’t afford to be sued just because some intern was too curious. There’s liabilities and laws at stake and we can’t handle another screw up. All I’m saying is to just step it down a notch. I know you want to help, but there is a protocol that needs to be followed. Do you understand?”

“Yes’m.”

“Though, I do want to applaud you for staying calm. That kid’s not too pretty to look at and as long as the kid remained calm, we started doing what we need to do.”

“His name’s Alexander, you know?”

“Oh really? Then you can start doing the paperwork with him.”

“Really? You’re not gonna just fire me or whatever?”

“You think I have that much authority? No. Now get the clipboard, I’ll tell you what to do on the way to the room,” Eliza smirked.

“We get paid for overtime, right?”

“You don’t even work here for pay!”

“I’d still take a tip,” John teased.

The urgent care center wasn’t empty until an hour later until an ambulance was able to drive out to campus and transfer Alexander over to the hospital where they kept him for observation overnight. However it was filled with conversation until then. Eliza let everyone who could not particularly help with the patient home while it was just her and John. 

Alexander, once the bleeding stopped and he was given water, which enabled his ability to speak up a bit more, showed his true colors. Such fire in a frail body was beyond John.

“He’s not a nurse, is he,” Alex assumed.

“How’d you know?” Eliza asked. She applied pressure onto the wound on Alexander’s leg to stop the bleeding, while John went to enter in the paperwork into the computer.

“There’s too much light in his eyes.”

“You know blue’s going to be a nice shade on you. I hear hospital gowns are in this season.”

“Is he your boyfriend?”

“Oh God, no! I’m his boss. He’s an intern. Why do you ask, anyway? Someone got Stockholm already?”

“No, it’s just something I’ve noticed. He’s just different is all.”

“Well you keep remembering that. Now lie back for me, hun.” 

She put gauze around the wound and wrapped the bandage around his leg. John slowed his jog down at the door, leaving a shy look on his face.

“I hate to interrupt, but I think there’s something wrong with the data based system.”

“What do you mean? Everyone who attends this university has their information in here. They can’t be admitted here without it,” Eliza questioned.

“I know, but Alexander’s not in it.” 

They both shot a glance at the boy on the bench, Eliza’s look stern, anger spreading onto her face in contrast to John’s curiosity brows furrowing. 

“Try Alejandra Hamilton.”

“Why?” Eliza spat.

“Because they may not have changed over my name yet. I just submitted all the paperwork for the school to have it switched over. I’ve got my gender marker changed, too. It should all be there. It’s probably just hasn’t been switched over.”

“Can I see some ID, please,” inquired John. 

“It’s in the front flap of my backpack on the table. My wallet should be in there.”

“That’s not the answer that I’m looking for,” Eliza replied, “Why didn’t you tell us that before?” 

“Because I have it all done. My driver’s license is changed. My insurance is changed. Everything is changed over! You have to believe me. The next time I get dumped in here after getting beat the shit out of, your database will have my name in it, just you wait.” 

“The ID checks out, Eliza,” John defended, holding up the plastic card. 

“Fine. Is there anything else you should tell us,” Alexander shook his head no, “Are you wearing a binder?” Alexander nodded his head yes. Eliza sighed. “That changes a lot. Laurens, go and refile everything under Alejandra Hamilton.”

“Yes’m!”

“And stop saying yes’m! I’m not one of your little southern belles! And you, Mr. Hamilton. You’ve done all this work just to skip telling me that you so happen are just be wearing a binder. You have a laceration on your chest. There can be infections that you’re getting right now from all of the bacteria and sweat that is clinging to that thing...”

It wasn’t all gloom and doom. When Eliza went to call the hospital to see what was taking them so long, John took his time speaking with his first patient. 

“Hey, I had a question for you. I mean you don’t have to, but I noticed you said that you lived at 403 Southwest.”

“And?”

John stopped hiding, and confidently said, “Well, I live 410 Southwest. I was just wondering if you need anything from your room. I could like stop by your room and ask your roommate if you needed like a change of clothes, you feel?”

“I got you. That would be great actually. How do you like the floor?” 

“It’s quiet, but that’s what I like about it. It’s like there’s no obligation to hide and I dig that shit.”

“Hey, watch your fucking mouth. You’re a healthcare provider now,” Alex poked at, laughing.

“Why don’t you watch yours,” John said, laughing back, “Besides I’m not anything just yet.”

“Well, obviously you’re John.”

“Yeah, I guess I am.”

“Well stop fucking guessing. It’s making me feel sympathy for you and I’m the one with multiple scarring.”

“I don’t need to take this from you,” John threatened with a lighthearted smile, “Now tell me an itemized list of what you want from your dorm, damn it.”

They went through a small list of things, adding more and more each time they went through when Eliza walked through the door, smiling. 

“Alex, your ride is here!”

A few men come in the door looking completely stoic. They lifted Alexander, directly from the bed and transport him onto the stretcher. 

“Last call, Alexander,” John warned.

“Oh and my shower shoes! My roommate will know what kind.”

John’s eyes widened at that. As the EMTs carried him away, his heart sank into his stomach. 

“John, are you alright?”

He shook his head. “Yeah, I’m chill. I think I just figured something out.”

“You know you can’t flirt with all of your patients, right?”

“I know, just the cute ones.”

“Go home, Laurens.”

“Love you, too, Eliza.”


	4. don't.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Although destiny has something for them, John and Alexander have woven themselves in history; their love being truly louder than the crack in the bell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From the bottom of my heart, I am so sorry for leaving y'all hanging. This has been my favorite fic to write and I know I say that every time, but for real, this chapter has been the best technically that I've written with motifs and themes in mind. I wish as a trans man I'd written Alex's part with more in-depth quality, but I'm glad with how John worked out. I wrote most of this chapter whilst being sober so my trend of writing final chapters whilst not being sober is now over. I hope y'all enjoy it as much as I did! I may want to write another one shot of the ending so who knows (maybe not b/c college is so hard, fam). The song that is used in this chapter is called, "Don't" by Bryson Tiller. Come get it!!

“Don’t.”

John immediately put down the seashell that occupied a small space on Alexander’s desk, embarrassed. His first steps inside Alexander and Aaron’s dorm was very already awkward to say the least. It wasn’t easy telling someone that their roommate had gotten jumped the night before, yet Aaron seemed to be completely unsympathetic to the issue, as if he was waiting for something like this to happen. He moved very lethargically when digging through Alexander’s belongings, only stopping when he found something on the list and methodically adding a check next to each item.

“You don’t have to stay, Laurens. You can go back to your dorm until I’m done. I’ll come get you.”

“Are you sure? I could help look for some things or maybe you could just hand me what you have and I can pack them. Former boy-scout over here, so you can totally trust me!”

“Laurens, I get it; you care, but I’m more than capable of doing this on my own, thank you very much.”

He stared down at Aaron on the floor, dissecting Alexander’s dresser for a matching outfit. His brows furrowed in anger. How dare he just dismiss this as another one of Alexander’s antics? No, his roommate was hurt and just pushing everyone away and acting like he was so much better than everyone wasn’t helping the matter one bit.

“Burr, I would love to be casual with you. I really would, but apparently you don’t very well fucking get it, do you?”

This definitely got the attention he wanted, as Aaron looked up at him.

“Excuse me? You don’t even _know_ Alex. How dare you tell me I don’t fucking get it! I’m gay; I have the same fucking risk as Alex. All I know is my fucking hyperactive roommate went out and got fucked up by some random punk because she doesn’t even know how to take care of herself!”

“He! It’s fucking he, for God’s sake! He’s your fucking roommate! You should fucking already know this shit, alright?! I’m so done with this stupid ass transphobic bullshit within this damn community. Do you know how many transwoman of color were murdered this past year? Over fucking twenty and I’m so sick of this shit. I stayed at the fucking urgent care center until two in the morning fucking unpaid because we had to wait for the ambulance to get there to transfer Alex over to the hospital because we didn’t have all the tools to fix him. I held him in my arms as he was literally fucking dropped in the fucking lobby. I scrubbed his blood off of my body. He was fucking stabbed. The fucking bruises... You don’t want to fucking see what I saw, Aaron. Don’t tell me that this isn’t fucking worth caring about. Your ‘hyperactive’ roommate had so much fucking faith that his fucking douche-bag of a roommate would know where all of his shit was to pack it for him and you just want to blame it on him. You blame this all on him and I swear to God, I will put you in worse condition that he’s in right now. Mark my fucking words, Burr. Now, let. me. pack. his. shit.”

John would never say that he was an angry man, but by the time he finished his monologue, spit had traveled down the sides of his mouth and he blinked back the tears that were about to be shed. He hadn’t realized this meant much to him. He knew he cared. It was Alexander and people always seemed to forget that and that made John itch. This time, it couldn’t be ignored.

The effects it had on Aaron were marvelous. The look of fear was chiseled into his face and his speed as he handed John items off of Alexander’s list was remarkable, almost not finding a place in time where something could be moved more efficiently. They remained in complete silence until the packing was done. He slung the backpack over his shoulder and started for the door once he crossed off the last item on the list. However, Aaron had the nerve to call back to him.

“Laurens,” he called, “when you see him at the hospital, tell him I said hi.”

“Burr, you should tell him yourself,” John replied, “I’m sure he’d appreciate it, right now.”

He reached for the door and used his foot to prop it open wider, which sparked an interest inside of John’s head.

“Oh! One more thing. Did you pack Alex’s shower shoes?”

“Yeah, it was the first thing I put in there.”

“Okay,” John grinned, “Just checking. I’ll see you around, Burr.”

“Same goes to you as well, Laurens.”

\------

“Don’t.”

The nurse fixed Alexander’s hospital bed back to the normal setting, taking the remote from his hands. Martha wasn’t as gentle as Eliza had been. She wasn’t as fun to be with or make checking his vitals any less comforting than the last time he was in a hospital overnight; the night he lost his mother and his naivety. However, at least this time, he knew he’d survive.

_I better survive. Or else all of this would be super anti-climactic._

He was going to survive this and work harder because of it. In his hours of not sleeping due to his concussion since he had been there, he’d decided it would build character and create for a great speech one day. It could work. This could work. After all, it brought him with the hopeful visit of John. He had cradled Alexander in his arms and Alexander was grateful for that. He wanted to thank John properly and soon, he would get his chance.

The worst part of being in the hospital was the boredom. He had not yet received his laptop to work and his single room led him to the solitary confinement of his own mind. The only thing that occupied Alexander’s attention was the television that occupied a small corner of the room. He found himself only able to watch the food network. Anything else got him too revved up. He winced each time his stitches were stretched when he tried to give a rebuttal to every news station or talk show he landed on, seeming to be the only shows that were on. The food network soothed him with recipes that he had never came in contact with, but he knew that one day, he would have enough money to afford all of it. He was there yet, but he would be, one day. By the time lunch rolled around, Alex was stuffing his face in a bologna sandwich when he heard a slow and steady knock on the door.

“Alexander?”

Aaron Burr’s steady voice announced each syllable in his name evenly, like he had rehearsed it. He stood soldier-like in the doorway, waiting for the other’s response before he intruded himself in the space.

“Aaron Burr, sir,” Alex replied, happy to finally speak with someone other than the nurses and doctors that came and gone, “How have you been?”

“I’m just fine, thank you. Frankly, I’m more concerned about you.”

“Don’t. It’s nothing, really. You don’t have to worry about me. It’s not your responsibility.”

“No, it’s not my responsibility, but I need you to know that I care, alright?”

“Listen, as much as I want to get out of this bed and have a proper argument with you, I highly doubt that you would drag your bougie ass out to the outskirts of campus to come and talk about how much you care about me,” Alex said, turning over in his bed away from Aaron, “Now, what do you want?”

“No, really. I came to say that I’m sorry.”

“Shut the fuck up.”

“Why,” he asked, walking around to the other side of the bed, making sure that he stayed in Alex’s view, “Am I not allowed to say that I care about your well-being? Fucking look at you, Alex. I wasn’t being fair.”

“Wait, this happened last night. How’d you know I was even here?”

“John Laurens stopped by and told me what happened. He hasn’t been here yet?”

For once in a blue moon, Alexander thought before he spoke. Had he known that Aaron was going to visit him, he would have had Aaron deliver his stuff for him instead. It would have saved John the trip. However, John was the one who conjured the entire plan up. All he really had to do was tell his roommate that Alex was in the hospital in this room and give him the list of things that he wanted and be on with himself. Alex furrowed his brows at the thought. Did this mean that John just generally wanted time with him? He had said that they lived in the same residence hall so he would see him around. They lived on the same floor for God’s sake, but all logic be damned, Alex felt this eagerness to see him again. Maybe Eliza was right; he was different after all.

“No, I haven’t seen him yet. What did he say?”

“That’s between us, if you don’t mind.”

“Um, yes, bitch. I do mind.”

“Excuse me?”

“No, you don’t get to say that you care about me and then not let me in. Now, what did you talk about?”

“Perhaps I could be of some assistance,” John interrupted, casually leaning against the doorway, “Burr and I here had a nice conversation. We’ve got some things straightened out and from his presence here, I’m guessing he’s a good guy. You’ve got a good roommate, Alex.”

John reached out his hand for Aaron to shake. Alex watched from his bed as the two gave each other death glares. Aaron searched for answers in the other’s hand and was content when he found none, accepting that this would not be the day that he could really forgive John or himself for his response to Alex’s night. After all, he was already here in the room with both of them. It wouldn’t hurt him in the least. He took the hand in front of him and shook with slight vigor and watched with amused eyes at the way John’s eyes lit up and the widest smile from such a large mouth erupted on his face.

“Thank you for your generosity, Laurens. However, I should be going. Classes and all that. I’ll see you at home, Alex. I suppose I’ll see you around, too, Laurens.”

Both Alexander and John watched Aaron walk out of the room and out of their sight.

“So how long have you’ve been eavesdropping for,” Alexander asked from his bed, crossing his arms, trying to give a tough look, but looking quite cute in his hospital gown. Blue had been his color, as Eliza predicted, but John would never vocalize that.

“Long enough to hear you call Aaron Burr a bitch and that’s all I’ve ever needed to hear.”

“I think I might be the only one who keeps him in check. I’ve never seen someone actually talk to him that way. Probably why we get along so well.”

“It’s probably why you don’t.”

“I thought you said he was a good man.”

“He could be.”

“Yo, I don’t need your fucking patriarchy bullshit, alright? I get that enough in my own head. Can you just give me my stuff back?”

John was a bit taken back by Alex’s anger. However, he set the backpack he had on the bed and let the other sort through it. He sat in the nearby chair and watched as he methodically looked through his belongings, taking in the occasional grunt or chuckle. It felt like a ticking time bomb until Alex had found the shower shoes at the bottom of the bag and John’s wondering would be over. He hadn’t even tried to waste a single note during his shower last night. He just had to know. So as Alex rummaged through his things, he watched his worn out hands weave through his things and the tense circular jaw line, waiting for something that could or couldn’t be. That was until dark, fiery eyes stared into his.

“You know you can go, right?”

“Yeah, but I’d much rather stay here if you don’t mind. I just want to make sure I have all the things that you would want. If I forgot something, I could just roll up to the floor and you could have it by the day is out.”

“John?”

“Yes?”

“You’re something else, aren’t you?”

“Well, I try.”

They stayed in compliant silence as Alex, for the first time since he had to pee in the wee hours of the night, lept up from the bed and stretched. The back of his gown opened and upon feeling the rush of air, he reached down to stop giving John more of a show than intended, a red tint appearing on his Puerto-Rican cheeks.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t remember it---”

“Hey, hey, hey,” John calmed him, “I’m a healthcare provider. It happens. I see shit.”

“I thought you weren’t anything yet.”

“A wise man once told me I was John.”

They held a very strong stare between each other and for a moment, John forgot about needing to know who this mystery person was. Alexander made him feel like he was a part of something. He made him feel as if there was a spotlight on him and that he held the answer to unlock the light around him. He didn’t exactly see eye-to-eye on certain things, but he had no right to confront on that. For a moment, John fell a little bit in love and not only with Alexander, but with himself, the shower shoes be damned.

“I’m taking a shower so if you want to leave, you can go ahead,” Alex said, putting the backpack around himself, “I’ve got everything I need for the next day.”

“You sure? I mean it can get kind of lonely up here.”

“Yeah, I’ll see you on the floor, right?”

“Yeah. I guess you will.”

“I’ll see you around, John,” and with that Alex walked in the bathroom and shut the door.

Of course, John had stayed, determine to hear if he would sing in the shower. If he had kept his shower shoes to himself, that was fine. He could recognize that voice from anywhere and like clockwork, he heard the water run and a muffled melody that John could barely make out.

“Don’t play with her. Don’t be dishonest. Still not understanding this logic. I’m back and I’m better. I want you bad as ever. Don’t let me just let up. I wanna give you better. Baby, it’s whatever.”

The hot water made Alex’s body feel good and bad at the same time. It burned his scarring a lot. The wounds on his leg made it painful, but it felt good to sing something so full of himself. He was back and better, or else he would be and he’d shove it in Jefferson’s face and propose a new plan on campus to let other students feel safe whenever wherever. Once his body felt fully back to itself, Alex occupied the rest of his time getting out of the shower by thinking about what was next. It always came back to that. He lost one day of classes. That would put him back a couple days. Perhaps Dr. Lee would be able to write him a doctor’s note; get him an extension. John could vouch for him. John would. It always came down to John. Alexander wished he could have at least got his number before he left. It would be a few days until he would leave out of here and he couldn’t wait to get back on the floor to see him again.

_Soon, Alexander, soon..._

It was soon enough as well. When Alexander opened the door, John abruptly stood from his seat on the hospital bed, looking directly at him as if he was waiting for Alexander to come out. His face was tinted with a red color as if his freckles were constellations peering out of a red sunset, but that wasn’t the most peculiar about his face. His eyes bulged out from his face, light with wonder reflecting off of the fluorescent bulbs and Alexander had to almost shield his eyes. What was going on was beyond.

“Is there something on my face?”

“It’s you.”

Alexander furrowed his brows and cocked his head back.

“Yes, Alexander. And you’re John.”

John combed his hair through with his hands.

“No, you don’t understand. You’re you!”

“I thought you left while I was in shower.”

“That doesn’t matter. It’s been you this whole time.”

“I met you last night. What are you even talking about?”

John had to laugh. He took a seat and laughed until there was no sound. All air had left his body and tears had began to travel down his cheeks while Alexander stood there completely dumbfounded. Alexander crossed his arms and stared at him, his confusion starting to exchange itself with anger.

“What?! What are you laughing at? I want to know.”

This was only responded with John laughing harder.

“Is everything alright in here,” Nurse Martha asked, while peering in through the doorway.

The professionalism straightened both men out.

John replied, “Everything is wonderful. Thank you for your concern. I apologize for the noise.”

“Yes, John’s usually not a screamer,” Alexander played along, settling a hand on John’s shoulder, which was met with a hand on top.

The nurse made a noise of soft approval.

“Well, do keep in mind that there are other patients. I’ll be back around soon to check your bandages.”

“Thank you, Martha,” Alexander said, as she shut the door on her way out and Alexander’s sweet voice dropped, “and you! You are going to tell me what’s so fucking, Mr. Laurens!”

“You might want to sit down for this,” he explained and upon Alexander occupying the space next to him, he continued, “Alright, so I have a lot on my plate right now with classes and my internship and everything. You know how we live on the same floor? Well, I’m up at all weird hours of the night.”

“You’re being vague. I need more from you. What are talking about?”

John looked at his hands, suddenly shy. He’s never told anyone that he sang and it was the hardest in the world to tell the person that he has been singing to that it was him.

“John, you can tell me. I need to know. What is it? Just show me.”

He made it sound so easy and maybe it was... John grabbed Alex’s hand and interwove it, not daring to meet Alexander’s eyes. He could feel the black void of Alexander’s eyes sucking him in and let his mouth give in.

“And I’ve never had someone as good for me as you, no one like you. So lonely before I finally found what I’ve been looking for...”

Alexander let his hand drop from the other’s grip.

“It’s you,” he announced.

“You finally get it?”

“Oh my god, it’s really you.”

At first, John’s stomach sank, shocked at the empty look on Alexander’s face.

“Wait, how do I know that you’re not some random guy that has just been listening in on us?”

“You have blue shower shoes.”

The kiss between the two of them was uncoordinated and messy, but lovely in every sort of way. The hand woven in John’s hair complemented hand on the back of Alexander’s neck nicely. It was meant to be there, fitting there like perfect puzzle pieces, only stopping when Alexander’s pain in his face was too much.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have,” Alexander started.

“No, no. I should have stopped it. We should get to know each other better--”

“Maybe we’ve already have.”

“I don’t want to meet you like this.”

“Excuse me?”

“No, I just want to do this correctly,” John explained, reaching a hand out that Alexander hesitantly took.

“What did you have in mind?”

“Let me take you out on a date,” he offered to which Alexander laughed, “No really! No hospitals or urgent care centers or fourth floor bathrooms. Just you and me on a real date.”

With a content smile on his face, Alexander replied, “that would be lovely.”

“Awesome. Great. Because I hoped you would. I didn’t really know what I was expecting. Definitely not this. I just. I’m really happy how this turned out. Really.”

“I just really want to thank you for everything last night and I just didn’t know what I was doing. I was just having some fun. I didn’t think that we’d feel the same things and it was just really awkward and I just really liked you and I didn’t think. I’m just really happy how this worked.”

“Hamilton! I’m here to check your bandages.”

John lept off the bed at the sight of the nurse.

“I hope I’m not interrupting something,” she quirked.

Quickly, John interjected, “No, no, you’re not interrupting anything.”

“Okay then. Well, you can continue your conversation. I should just be in and out.”

Alexander chuckled and egged him on, “Yes, John. Please continue. I would love to hear what you have to say.”

As Martha continued to address his wounds, John cleared his throat, stood up straight and asked, “Alexander, would you please accompany me at Sgt. Pepperoni’s and a viewing of _Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier_ featuring a meeting with me at my place of residence to discuss how that mirrors the dystopia that is our country?”

“Dinner and a movie. Sounds fancy. What day? I do have some important work to get done,” Alexander replied, almost an honest excuse no matter how much he did say this follow along with the other’s spiel. This whole ordeal would put him back a few days, study wise.

“The evening of your departure, which is dictated by this lovely young woman.”

The reply would have made Alexander slightly jealous. However, when he saw the way Martha had soften up and treated his wounds with such care, he admired John’s ability to charm the older woman.

“Oh please, I’m old enough to be your grandmother. Dr. Lee said your injuries are healing quite nicely. I don’t imagine you’ll be here past tomorrow. I’ll let you know. May I ask for your name?”

“His name is John,” Alexander piped in.

“So is that a yes?”

“It’s a date.”

The first person that John called upon leaving the hospital was Lafayette. Loving the gossip, Lafayette turned their ears on listening mode as soon as the words “You would never believe the night I’ve had” exited John’s lips.

The date went well to say the least. There was a few bumps in the road, but there was a second one, and then a third and another. It began a seemingly endless tradition of pushing each other to become better people. One night, they go to karaoke and Alex makes John bring his friends and John is right there when Alex is running the University Student Government by the end of the semester and nothing seems easy, but it’s possible now. The future weighs on them like a tangible thing that they can’t touch, but the best part is trying and trying together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on my main tumblr: dis-moi-que-tu-veux.tumblr.com  
> OR follow me on my ask/RP blog: askpresidentjohnadams.tumblr.com


End file.
